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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28935327">This, Again.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrictoes/pseuds/electrictoes'>electrictoes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Torchwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Temporary Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2011-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2011-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:28:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28935327</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/electrictoes/pseuds/electrictoes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto hates Jack dying when they're alone. There's just silence, just time to think.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>This, Again.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for <span class="ljuser i-ljuser i-ljuser-deleted i-ljuser-type-C"></span><a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="https://jack-ianto-las.livejournal.com/profile"></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="https://jack-ianto-las.livejournal.com/"></a><b>jack_ianto_las</b> Challenge 3: Terrible Gift.<br/>Originally posted to Livejournal in 2011.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><a id="cutid1" name="cutid1"></a>Jack’s body shifts in Ianto’s arms, the first sign that he is beginning to recover. Ianto likes to think of it as <i>recovering</i> and not <i>coming back to life.</i> It makes it easier to deal with.</p><p>He  hates Jack dying when they’re alone. He doesn’t like Jack dying any  time, but it’s always worse when it’s just the two of them. No one  screaming or panicking or shouting about ambulances. No Gwen leaning  against his shoulder and watching Jack with him while they figure out  how to save the world. When they’re alone there’s just silence, just  time to <i>think. </i></p><p>Immortality is Jack’s curse. It’s his  gift too, but it’s the kind of gift that makes every day that little bit  harder to drag yourself through. Jack has lived more lives than any man  ought to, he’s seen the most wonderful things, but also the cruellest.  He has loved, and has been loved – is loved – but he has seen that love  taken away so many times that the pain swims in his eyes.</p><p>As  Jack breathes back into life Ianto smiles. Immortality is Jack’s gift,  and it is a gift for Ianto, to have someone who is a constant, who will  never die and leave him mourning. It is cruel gift, it tortures both  Jack and Ianto, their life spans will never match up, Ianto will have to  watch Jack die a thousand times or more. Jack will have to watch Ianto  die. Once.</p><p>For now they celebrate, a brief moment of relief  that Jack is once again revived, that they can live on together. Then  there’s a universe to save, no time to contemplate the pain that lies  ahead, no time to relish in the breath that’s flowing through Jack’s  lungs again. Just on their feet and off, a silent thank you from Ianto  to whatever deity gifted Jack with this life, and then the moment’s  over. For now. <a id="cutid1-end" name="cutid1-end"></a></p>
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